One game doesnít make a World Series, sure, but there is no sugar-coating what transpired in Game 1 Wednesday night.

The Tigers threw their best at the San Francisco Giants, Justin Verlander.

The Giants unrelentingly pounded him in an 8-3 victory that was every bit as lopsided as the final score indicates.

Verlander is the best pitcher in the game. It was impossible to foresee San Francisco third baseman Pablo Sandoval, who hit only 12 home runs during the regular season, going Reggie Jackson on the Tigers. He hit three home runs in his first three at bats, the first two off Verlander. The third was against Tigers reliever Al Alburquerque, who has never allowed a regular season home run. Perhaps the Giants arenít capable of continuing such spectacular moments at the plate, but they are formidable.

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The message they sent Wednesday: There is a reason they won the World Series in 2010, and are back for the second time in three years.

The Giants immediately showed Tigers why the competition they are facing in the World Series is much different than what they saw previously in the postseason.

They arenít in over their head - like the Aís in the American League Division Series.

They are going to implode such as the Yankees in the American League Championship Series.

The Tigers will have to play very well to win this series, or the Giants will be more than happy to take it.

They made several solid plays defensively - unlike the Yankees and the Aís. And they were anything but overwhelmed by Verlanderís presence on the mound.

There has been little to criticize about Verlander since he reached the major leagues to stay at the beginning of the 2006 season. He has been Rookie of the Year, received the Cy Young and Most Valuable Player Awards in the same season and has won 22 more regular season games than any other active pitcher under the age of 30. It is difficult to argue Verlander isnít the best pitcher of his generation, not only because of his statistics, but also because he throws as hard as any pitcher, his off-speed pitches are superior and he has excellent command of the ball.

The postseason had been a problem for him before Verlander turned in outstanding outings in both the ALDS and ALCS.

The World Series remains an issue. Verlander has taken a classic fall in the Fall Classic.

After allowing five earned runs in four innings Wednesday, Verlander now has an 0-3 record with a 7.20 ERA in three World Series starts.

There are a lot of ready-made excuses for Verlander. The biggest is the long time between starts in both 2006 and this year after the Tigers sweep to victory in the ALCS each time.

Thatís too simplistic, though. If it was the case in 2006, youíd think Verlander would have learned from it. The better explanation is he just hasnít pitched well in the World Series - and there is no excuse as to why.

The good news is the Tigers bullpen is well-rested. The bad news is the Tigers bullpen is shaky. Itís a bullet the Tigers have dodged in the playoffs so far because their starting pitchers have worked so deep into games, and because, inexplicably, Phil Coke has suddenly been transformed into Billy Wagner in his prime.

Coke is officially the Tigers closer, isnít he? It sure isnít Jose Valverde, who was given another chance by manager Jim Leyland Wednesday when the game got out of hand. In the process, Valverde continued to give new meaning to the term ďpitch to contact.Ē

There will be close games in this series. It will be Phil Coke or bust for the Tigers in the closerís role. Hey, he was great against the Yankees, but it isnít a comforting thought.

The worst part of this loss is it does bring back memories of 2006. The Tigers were on a roll then, too, before getting routed in Game 1 of the World Series by the Cardinals. They lost the series in five games.

There is no baseball law that history must repeat itself, but, frankly, Game 1 couldnít have played out any worse for the Tigers.

They need to wake up.

The Giants are the real deal.

Pat Caputo is a senior sports reporter and a columnist for The Oakland Press. Contact him at pat.caputo@oakpress.com and read his blog at theoaklandpress.com. You can follow him on Twitter @patcaputo98